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John Graham
Rev. John Graham (1776 - 6 March 1844) was an Irish poet and historian. Life Graham was born in Co. Fermanagh, Ireland, into a family that had been transplanted to Ulster from Cumberland in the early part of the 17th century. He witnessed the celebration of the centenary of the siege of Londonderry in 1788, and had been brought up in admiration of its heroes. He earned a B.A. in 1798 and an M.A. in 1815 from Trinity College, Dublin.Moore, 351. He was ordained in the established Church of Ireland, and obtained the curacy of Lifford, Co. Donegal. In April 1824 he obtained the rectory of Tamlaght-ard, commonly called Magilligan, on the coast of county Derry, and here he resided till his death. He often took part in Orange celebrations, but always expressed good feeling towards the Roman catholics, and was popular in his district, where many stories of his eccentricities remain. Sir Walter Scott wrote to him, and is said to have admired his ballads. Writing In 1819 he published, by the aid of Lord Kenyon, in London, Annals of Ireland: Ecclesiastical, civil, and military, an account compiled from numerous authorities of the wars in Ireland, which began in October 1641. In 1823 he published at Londonderry Derriana, consisting of a history of the siege of Londonderry and defence of Enniskillen in 1688 and 1689, with historical poetry and biographical notes. It is a clear and interesting account of the siege, based on the journals of the defenders and other contemporary records. One of the poems, "The Shutting of the Gates," is a spirited ballad of six stanzas, which attained widespread popularity in the district, and may still be heard in farmhouses between the Foyle and the Ban, where these lines are felt— :Cold are the hands that closed that gate :Against the wily foe, :But here to time's remotest date :Their spirit still shall glow. A second edition of the book, without the poems, was published in Dublin in 1829, and the poems were printed separately in the same year.Moore, 352. In 1839 he published in Dublin A History of Ireland from the Relief of Londonderry in 1689 to the Siege of Limerick in 1691, a book much read in the north of Ireland. Publications Poetry *''God's Revenge against Rebellion: An historical poem''. Dublin: privtely published, printed by L. Tute, 1820. *''An Historical Poem on the state of Ireland''. Dublin: privtely published, printed by L. Tute, 1820. *''Sir Harcourt's Vision: An historical poem''. Dublin: privately published, by William M'Corkell, 1823; Toronto: Brewer, McPhail, 1851. *''Historical Poetry''. Londonderry, NI: privately published, printed by 1823. *''Poems: Chiefly historical''. 1829. Non-fiction *''An Account of the Town and Parish of Maghera, in the diocese of Derry''. Dublin: printed by Graisberry & Campbell, 1813. *''Annals of Ireland: Ecclesiastical, civil and military''. (2 parts), London: G. Sidney, 1817-1818, 1820. *''Derriana: Consisting of a history of the siege of Londonderry and defence of Enniskillen, in 1688 and 1689''. Londonderry, NI: privately published, printed by William M'Corkell, 1823; Toronto: Brewer, McPhail, 1851 **also published as A History of the Siege of Londonderry and Defence of Enniskillen, in 1688 and 1689 Dublin: William Curry, Jun., 1829. *''A History of Ireland: From the relief of Londonderry in 1689, to the surrender of Limerick in 1691''. Dublin: William Curry, Jun., 1839. *''Ireland Preserved; or, The siege of Londonderry, and Battle of Aughrim. With lyrical poetry and biographical notes''. Dublin: Hardy & Walker, 1841. Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:John Graham 1844, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, June 29, 2016. See also *List of Irish poets References * . Wikisource, Web, June 29, 2016. Notes External linke ;Poems *Rev. John Graham (1776-1844) info & 5 poems at English Poetry, 1579-1830 ;About * Graham, John (1776-1844) Category:1776 births Category:1844 deaths Category:19th-century poets Category:Irish poets Category:English-language poets Category:Irish clergy Category:Poets